Wardrobe trunk



Feb. 16,1926. 1,573,306 K. A. DIEKELMANN WARDROBE TRUNK Filed May 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Shea. 1

Patented Feb. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES KURT ARMANI) DIEKELMANN, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

W'ARDROBE TRUNK.

Application filed May 5, 1925. Serial No. 28,210.

To all whom z'' may concern.

Beit known that Kmrr ARMANI) DIEKEL- MANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hotel Tutwiler, Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVardrobe Trunks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wardrobe trunks of a nature adapted to con stitute an invisible wardrobe by utilizing the space under a bed in hotels, apartments, hospitals, clubs and homes. This device is ofgreat utility since it utilizes space otherwise wasted. By the use of this device, built in closets may be eliminated'in small rooms with a consequent marked economy in space and with the elimination of the very considerable cost of installing built-in wardrobes or closets, in buildings of the character above indicated.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed des'cription which follows.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is'a perspective view of a wardrobe trunk constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view therethrough.

Fi g. 3 isa transverse vertical sectional view.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating an operating mechanism hereinafter described.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view illustrating the mounting of a swinging panel hereinafter described, and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view through the structure of Fig. 5.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings. I Referring to the drawing, 5 designates a box-like body portion that is provided with a top 6. This top is hingedly connected to the body 5, at 7, and is adapted to be held 'in raised position by a sliding brace 8 of the usual and well known type. A panel 9 is mounted to be swung from the full line position illustrated in Fig. 2 to the dotted line position'of said figure. This panel is secured to and moves with a rod of inverted U shape indicated at 10. The lower ends of the rod 10 are out-turned as indicated at 10 inFig. 5 to constitute pintles upon which the rod and panel pivot. Panel 9 is held to the rod 10 by rivets indicated at 11. The panel 9 constitutes a support for a rod 12. This rod carries a washer 13 which bears against the panel 9 and the rod 12 passes through the panel and through the rod 10 and is provided with a rubber cushioning element 14 rcarwardly of said rod 10. A handle 15 upon the outer or free end of the rod 12 provides the means by which the panel may be swung to the position illustrated in Fig. 1, or by which said panel, together with garment carrying clothes hangers, 16, may be lowered into the body 5. The cushioning element 1 provides means for absorbing shock if the panel, with its load, be dropped roughly into place.

A. cushioning stop 17, upon the end wall of the body 5, provides means for limiting the upward swinging movement of the panel 9 and it will be observed that the pivot point 18 of the panel. is such, with respect to the stop 17, that the panel and its associated parts may move to a position slightly beyond the vertical. It will be further observed by referring to Fig. 2 that the rod 12 lies at a slight inclination with respect to the panel. The result is that the panel will stand erect without the use of on traneous devices.

According to the structure illustrated in Fig. 2 the device is to be operated by hand. However I contemplate employing means for operating it by foot power, said means being illustrated in Fig. l. In this figure l0 designates a spindle corresponding to the spindle 1O" of Fig. 5. A pinion 19, mounted upon said spindle, is connected with a segmental gear 20, the shaft 21 of which carries a foot operated lever 22, the latter lying outside of the body 5. By pressing downwardly upon the foot lever, the pinion 19 will be turned to actuate the spindle 10 and thereby swing the rod of inverted U shape, together with the panel, to vertical position, it being understood that the panel and associated parts will be the same in Fig. 4 as in the other figures the only difference being that the spindle of the rod of inverted U shape will carry a pinion for engagement with the segmental gear, as described.

Elongated straight rollers 23 are secured to the undersides of the body 5, 5 and are of such a nature as to impart a straight line movement to the structure in the direction is opened, garments,

mounted upon hangers, arepresented in.

such way that the owner may select any desired garment without disturbing the others. In like manner, any garment may be put away without disturbing the remaining garments, and any garment may be put away in any desired order, i. e., it may be placed in such position that it will be on the top or bottom of the pile, or at any intervening point with respect thereto, when the panel is lowered into the body 5. It is apparent that many ways will suggest themselves of mounting the panel for vertical swinging movement into and out of the body 5 and I wish it to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but that it includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, in combination with a body portion and a cover for the same, of a panel extending transversely of the body portion and hingedly connected thereto at a point adjacent to the bottom of thebody portion, a hanger supporting rod extendingv from the panel at a point adjacent the top and man- 'ually operable means operative from the eX- terior of the body portion for swinging said panel from a position where it lies substantially within the body to a position where it lies substantially vertical to the body.

2. In a device of the character desEilEd, in combination with a body portion and a cover for the same, of a rod of substantially respect to the panel.

8. A device of the character described comprising a body portion and a cover for the same, an elongated panel hinged within the body portion adjacent one end thereof and close to the; bottom thereof, a hanger supporting rod extending at substantially right angles from the panel, at a point adjacent the top thereof, a manually'operable lever upon the exterior of the body portion and gearing between the lever and the hinged mounting of the panel of such a nature that a small degree of movement of the lever imparts a greater degree of movement to thepanel to swing the same to elevated position, where it. lies substantially vertical to the body.

f. A device of the character described comprising a body portion, a cover for the same, a panel adapted to swing downwardly into the body portion and to lie along the )ottom thereof, a hanger supporting element carried by the panel and projecting substantially at right angles thereto, a pivotal mounting for the panel, within the walls of the body portion, an operating lever upon the exteriorof the body portion, a gear segment connected to move with the operating lever and a pinion carried by the pivotal mounting of the panel, said gear segment being of considerably greater wradius than the pinion, as and for the purposes set forth.

I In testimony whereof he affixes his signature.

KURT ARMAND DIEKELMANN. 

